(born 1964; sometimes also transliterated as Manaf Tlas) is a former Brigadier General of the Syrian Republican Guard and member of Bashar al-Assad's inner circle. He also became a member of the Central Committee of the Baath Party around 2000.

26.08.2012 [Global Times] - Assad's regime has been rattled by several high-profile defections as the Syrian conflict has escalated, including former prime minister Riad Hijab and prominent General Manaf Tlass, one of Assad's childhood friends. Syria's state news agency SANA said

21.08.2012 [Spiegel Online] - Later, France and Saudi Arabia wanted Brigadier General Manaf Tlass, a former member of Assad's inner circle who fled Syria, to be the transitional leader. But it was to no avail, because Manaf turned out to be neither competent nor charismatic

18.08.2012 [PakistanToday.com.pk] - It is impossible to independently verify the tolls. Assad has already been abandoned by prime minister Riad Hijab and general Manaf Tlass, his childhood friend and the son of a close aide of Assad's father and predecessor as president Hafez. Adding to